(VOVWORLD) - Defense Minister Phan Van Giang on Friday underlined the need to promote mutual understanding and respect, equality, and cooperation for development among countries, in which security cooperation plays an important role, in order to realize the desire and aspiration for an increasingly prosperous and stable Asia-Pacific.
 Defense Minister Phan Van Giang addresses the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, September 13, 2024. |
In his speech at the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum in Beijing, Minister Giang said that in the Asia-Pacific, disputes related to sovereignty and territory, especially sovereignty at sea, are still lingering on.
Regarding the East Sea issue, Mr. Giang emphasized that Vietnam consistently resolves all difficulties and differences by peaceful measures on the basis of respecting independence, sovereignty and legitimate interests of states; complies with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); and strictly implements international and regional commitments such as the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).
Vietnam supports the establishment of clearer, more substantive and effective legal commitments such as the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) that ASEAN and China are looking forward to signing soon. The Asia-Pacific region is experiencing an increasing presence of countries outside the region, he said.
“Vietnam supports the presence of countries in the region for the purpose of peace, stability, cooperation and development, and always hopes that the countries respect each other's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and international law and regional commitments to make active contributions to building a prosperous and stable Asia-Pacific,” said Minister Giang.
Vietnam does not accept and resolutely opposes all actions that fuel tension and complexity, and hinder the prosperity and stability of each country, the region and the world at large, he added.
In order to address current complicated traditional and non-traditional challenges, Minister Giang suggested that countries promote cooperation on the basis of respecting the principles of equality and self-determination of peoples, settling disputes and differences by peaceful measures in compliance with international and regional laws and commitments, and not threatening to use or using force in international relations.
In collaboration to settle security issues, major countries have a very important role to play that needs to be promoted in a full, responsible, and effective manner, he said.